What’s all the fuss about pixels?

Plug in a regular string of lights and they just come on. Now imagine being able to control each individual light and even it's color. Each light or group of lights is called an RGB pixel or just pixel. Light-O-Rama was an early pioneer of this amazing technology. That's a Cosmic Color Ribbon to the right.

What’s a sequence?

Using precise timing, every action you see in a show is synchronized with the music and is repeatable. We call it sequencing. If you are the creative type, doing this gives you total control. The Light-O-Rama ShowTime Designer provides all the tools you need.

Take advantage of Light-O-Rama partners. They’re here to help!

Got a really big project and don't have a clue where to start? Tap into the exceptional expertise of Light-O-Rama partners. They will take your idea and figure out what Light-O-Rama products can bring it to life. Light-O-Rama partners can also source other products as well as do some or all of the work. Find a partner near you and contact them immediately!

Smart Cosmic Color Bulbs and Pixels

Imagine controlling each individual light on a light string. Make any light, any color at any time. Here’s a great example of Cosmic Color Bulbs and Pixels at work as submitted by one of our customers.

A set of Cosmic Color Bulbs includes two 50 light strings with 6″ spacing between bulbs. Each bulb is a bit bigger than a standard C7 but smaller than a C9. Each bulb consists of a fully addressable RGB based LED. What does all this mean? Each bulb can be any color at any time.

A set of Cosmic Color Pixels includes two 50 light strings with 6″ spacing between bulbs. Each bulb is a bout 1.5″ long and consists of a fully addressable RGB based LED. Just like our Cosmic Color Bulbs, each pixel can be almost any color at any time.

What are Light-O-Rama Cosmic Color Pixels and Bulbs?

Cosmic Color Pixels and Bulbs are strings of RGB based LEDs with 6 inch spacing between each light. Each pixel or bulb is fully controllable meaning each light on the string can be any color at any time. Cosmic Color Pixels and Bulbs include a controller with power supply that handles two 50 pixel strings and can be easily plugged into a standard LOR data network.

Cosmic Color Bulbs

Each Cosmic Color Bulb is a slightly larger than a standard C7 Christmas light yet smaller than a C9. Each bulb consists of a fully addressable RGB based LED. You can control each light individually or take advantage of ‘macro’ channels where a single control creates an effect across the entire string.

Cosmic Color Bulbs come in strings of 50 with 6″ spacing, just like the Cosmic Color Pixels. They are weatherproof and have a special waterproof connector to attach to the Cosmic Color Bulb/Pixel controller.

Cosmic Color Bulb with measurements

Each Cosmic Color Bulb can be a different color

Cosmic Color Bulb String of 50

Cosmic Color Pixels

Not everyone is a fan of those big old bulbs so we used the same internals, removed the lens, changed the mounting and came up with something a good bit smaller. We call it the Cosmic Color Pixel. It’s a little shorter and definitely thinner.

Cosmic Color Pixels come in strings of 50 with 6″ spacing, just like the Cosmic Color Bulbs. They are weatherproof and have a special waterproof connector to attach to the Cosmic Color Bulb/Pixel controller.

Cosmic Color Pixel with measurements

Each Cosmic Color Pixel can be a different color

Cosmic Color Pixel String of 50

Cosmic Color Bulb/Pixel controller

The dedicated controller for 100 lights will drive two strings of Cosmic Color Bulbs, Cosmic Color Pixels or one of each. Since each bulb/pixel is one RGB light, that means each requires three channels to control it and create any color of the rainbow. A string of 50 Cosmic Color Bulbs/Pixels requires 150 control channels. The dedicated controller can handle two strings, meaning 100 lights or 300 channels. That’s a lot of power inside a little green box measuring 5″wide x 6.5″ high x 1.5″ deep. The controller is powered by 120-240VAC.

Cosmic Color Bulb/Pixel controller

Inside the Cosmic Color Bulb/Pixel controller

Cosmic Color Bulb/Pixel controller
can drive bulbs and/or pixels

The Cosmic Color Bulb/Pixel controller is daisy chained using standard Cat5 data cables into a Light-O-Rama data network like any other Light-O-Rama controller.

DMX-512?

Already have a communications infrastructure using DMX-512 typically used in the entertainment industry? We’ve got you covered. Light-O-Rama light controllers are smart enough to analyze the type of data network they are connected to and adapt to DMX-512 if needed. Depending on the unique network assigned to your Light-O-Rama controller, it will occupy that DMX-512 address plus the next 299 (for a 300 channel controller.) The control channels (depending on the controller) must be in the same DMX-512 universe.

Cosmic Color Bulbs in action

Want to see the Cosmic Color Bulbs at work? Checkout the talking Christmas Tree on this house. This video was submitted by one of our customers.

Looking for more information?

Looking for even more information on our Cosmic Color Pixels and Bulbs? Read the instruction manual or see more in our store.

Putting it all together

1. The Light-O-Rama ShowTime Sequencing Suite works on your personal computer running Microsoft Windows and allows you to design your own shows. The ShowTime Sequencing Suite then runs your shows and sends the right commands at the right time to the various control channels. The ShowTime Sequencing Suite can even keep music and video synchronized to the controller commands.

2. Speakers to play the music accompanying your show are attached to the computer sound card.

3. Your personal computer communicates to the controllers using a device plugged into your computer’s serial or USB communications port. The blue line shows the standard serial output of your computer (RS-232 or USB) out of your PC where it enters our converter that transforms the signal to the native Light-O-Rama network protocol (the green line) that connects to our various types of controllers over standard computer network wire. We recommend Cat 5 LAN cables available from us and off-the-shelf from your local big box store in the computer section.

4. The Light-O-Rama commercial or residential high voltage AC light controllers include special effects such as simple on/off, intensities, smooth fading, twinkling, shimmering. Over 200 controllers can be daisy chained on the LOR network giving you the ability to control thousands of channels. Need more channels? Add another Light-O-Rama network.

5. Electrical power is supplied to the controller placed close to your lights so you don’t need to run long extension cords. Commands from the Software Sequencing Suite are performed on each controller. Power to each of the attached lighting circuits is controlled independently. Think of having many dimmer switches that the computer can change very quickly and independently.

6. Connection to the Cosmic Color Ribbon controllers. Multiple ribbons can be daisy-chained like all other controllers on a Light-O-Rama network. Note: each Cosmic Color Ribbon controller includes a power supply requiring a connection to primary power just like number 5 above.

7. Connection to the Cosmic Color Pixel/Bulb controllers. Multiple CCP/CCBs can be daisy-chained like all other controllers on a Light-O-Rama network. Note: each Cosmic Color Pixel/Bulb controller includes a power supply requiring a connection to primary power just like number 5 above.